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FMCSA Opens 34-State Hours Waiver for Fertilizer Haulers Through August

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has granted a temporary Hours of Service waiver for more than two-thirds of U.S. states to address fertilizer supply constraints. Drivers in 34 states can now operate for 16 hours within a 24-hour period when hauling fertilizer products, up from the standard 11-hour limit. The waiver, effective May 26 through August 26, requires drivers to take mandatory rest periods of at least six hours in a sleeper berth or eight hours in alternative accommodations during remaining hours. The action, requested by The Fertilizer Institute, also suspends electronic logging device requirements, though drivers must maintain paper logs if an ELD is unavailable. The waiver covers agricultural transportation broadly, distinct from existing exemptions limited to farm supply movement within 150-mile radii.